Writer: Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley
Artist: Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley
Colorist: Brad Simpson & Felipe Sobreiro
Cover Artists: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs, Tom Raney & Brian Reber
Publisher: Image
Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 3, 2024
Jack Xaver fled small-town life to enjoy the glamorous life as the superhero Crossjack. When Camo Crusader fired him, he returned in disgrace but saved his hometown regardless of what they thought of him. When the TV news blamed him for the death of his former superhero boss, Jack fled his grieving mother and left his town in ruins. A plea from his priest, Father Leo, brought him back yet again. Can Jack cure the disease afflicting this small Wisconsin town? Let’s leap into Local Man #11 and find out!
Story
Jack’s neighbors rebuilt Farmington after Seascape flooded the town and drowned seventeen people. Then, they donated their possessions to Father Leo's church. Like Sybok's supplicants, they spend their days in the 4th Gen building, gaining strength by sharing their tales of woe. Police Chief Brian Bucholz no longer cares about Jack's affair with his wife. Like her late husband Ben and their dog Pepper, Lila Xaver consigns her son Jack to the past.
Jack recognizes the malaise and calls Cutting Edge for help in Local Man #11. Jack explains that the same cancer that once afflicted a town in Oklahoma has infected Farmington. But after Camo Crusader kicked Jack out of Third Gen, Cutting Edge handed Jack the Cease And Desist order that forced Jack to adopt his Local Man alias. The media’s assertion that Jack murdered Camo Crusader prompted Gen Corp to shut down Third Gen. So Cutting Edge pleads his hands are bound and ends the call to have sex with battle drones.
Jack had a team armed with high-tech weapons to combat this strange cult in Oklahoma. This time, he lacks a spaceship, armor, or experienced teammates. Jack can work his magic on Officer Alan Kopecki. Twenty bucks secures Rudy's services. His rideshare buddy can take them where Jack needs to go. But is Jack ready for what he’ll find at a lonely cabin in the woods?
Jack's rough homecoming and illegal investigations as Local Man gave him a new beginning. He recognizes the emptiness of his former life. In Local Man #11, Jack braves danger to save others from those who value causes over people. He takes on the establishment to protect people who disdain him. Or at least, people who won't stand beside him, even if they know they owe him their lives. Potayto, potahto.
Art
Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley fill pages with relatable characters, whether they’re pulling a gun on Jack, flashing him a dumb smile, or slashing through humanoid metal robots. Compelling scenes bring reality to this superhero tale, showing Local Man standing outside the 4th Gen building, riding through the snow in the rideshare driver’s new truck, or taking down drones outside a building. Yet the extraordinary nature of the art compels. Jack discovers an inhuman science experiment, a public figure confronts him, and a leader dons a helmet and uniform that evokes Cobra Commander.
Brad Simpson and Felipe Sobreiro apply bright and appealing colors to Local Man #11. While the police station features greens and browns, blue snow falls before a purple sky. Turquoise smoke rises from a body lying in a bath of green fluid, while a haunting memory turns Jack's yellow and blue outfit pink, and a yellow sun blazes in his left eye before a bright red background. A bonus pinup by Kurt Belcher and Sean Baggs poses an intriguing question. If the Evil Dead sidelined Ash, how might Crossjack fare against the Army Of Darkness?
Uppercase black letters fill dialogue balloons, and white letters fill green-and-black narrative boxes in Local Man #11. Enlarged, pink lettering announces a change of mind, while sound effects help us hear Jack kick down a door, security agents go to pieces, and an ancient alien god speaks. Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
A terrorist cult feeds on Farmington’s loss, Jack Xaver takes on the government, Rudy demonstrates an intriguing link between intelligence and superpowers, and Jack's pooch Pepper develops an unhealthy hunger in Local Man #11. After her husband’s death, will Lila Xaver become a Gun Tote’n Mama?
Rating 9.6/10
For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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